contemplating chicken: various thoughts

Also really liked this photo from the shop.

[desc. photo of a bottle of glue and an old-fashioned scale sitting on a window ledge of a paned window in late afternoon light.]

Favorite photo from the day. The friend I am staying with (HI MARY BETH) builds organs. As in musical organs. For churches and things. This was in the shop she works at, which has marvelous light late in the day (though sadly it gets very hot.)

[desc. looking at a number of drill bits from above.]

Some of my cartoons from my oh-so-exciting archfamily presentation.

[desc. “Things you can do in KYOTO: Complain about the weather!” Slumpy person walking through rain, thinking “UGH RAIN.” Sweaty person with terrible hair, thinking, “I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HOT IN MY LIFE.”

PAINTING DONE! This was one of the least frustrating I have done in a while. I quite like it.

[desc. watercolor of an old Ford truck and two tractors on a hill.]

So this is what I’m working on today, no doubt because I’m tired and irritated of trying to write for a bit.

[desc. sepia Micron line drawing of an old Ford truck with a wooden box, a Farmall H from maybe the 1940s, and another cabless tractor that’s maybe from the ’50s or ’60s.]

TWO THINGS

THING NUMBER ONE

I FINISHED THIS DAMN PAINTING YEAAAAAAAH

THING NUMBER TWO

THE AVENGERS

FUCK YEAH THE AVENGERS

YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

[desc. watercolor looking up a street of medieval buildings with cafes at the ground level; one side of the street is shaded, the other lit. It is in shades of green, mostly.]

MOAR

(This is my answer to the Fontainebleau instructor who was concerned that I was using line to the exclusion of tone. Look! I can do TONE THROUGH LINE! REALLY!)

[desc. pen drawing of a person lying down on their side with head on a pillow, viewed from the direction of their feet.]

LAYING DOWN SOME MORE LIFE DRAWING ON Y’ALL

This: COLORS: Yes.

[desc. watercolor of a person in VIBRANT COLORS lying on their back over a pillow from the direction of their shoulders.]

Figure drawing from this week — I think this might be the best drawing I have ever done in graphite.

[desc. drawing in soft lead of a person with a curvy, fat body sitting on a stool and looking over one shoulder and down.]

Hum hum banana fana fo fum.

Among illustrations you guys have to look forward to in the next few days, HERE ARE SOME TRACTORS AND TRUCKS.

[desc. photo of a pencil and sepia Micron drawing of an old cabless tractor flanked by an old Ford truck (1960s model, maybe?) with a wooden box and another old tractor.]

Preview of the next painting… 

[desc. drawing of part of a clock tower and a church with a tree in green ink and pencil.]

I liked these two from last night.

[desc. two bright watercolors, one of a person sitting on a stool from behind, the other of a person sitting on the ground with knee bent in profile.]

And this one… hmmm.

[desc. watercolor/graphite drawing of a person lying down on a pillow from the top of the head. There is much foreshortening.]

This was about the best one from last week, and it wasn’t terribly good. Thus my disgruntlement. I was trying to be more subtle with my use of color, and I think that was a mistake.

When I think of all the things I want to get done before Switzerland (art to finish! stories to write! book to finish! books to read!) I feel a little panicked. Some of these things don’t technically have any kind of deadline to get done (see: art, as I am taking my watercolors with me), but once I’m working 40 hours a week again it’s going to be not so easy to fit them in. Others (books to read) really need to happen here, as I am not hauling a ton of books overseas with me (this is why I’m not reading a lot of books on my Nook — I want to hoard them for later, when I don’t have English bookstores convenient.)

[desc. graphite and watercolor drawing of a person with short hair sitting with knees splayed out to the side from the back.]

Oh oh I forget one on my accomplished list! 

7. Taking a short walk

This is from last week’s life drawing — the ten-minute pose. I got there ten minutes late and missed the warm-ups because I fell asleep, and I think, sadly, that you can tell. 

I like this one though.

[desc. graphite sketch of a person with short hair from the knees up.]